Improvement in smelting-furnaces



2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

`B M.`sm|TH. Smelting Furnaces Patented Aprill 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

B. M. SMITH.

Smelting Furnaces.

Ptented April 1, 1873.

VVi/INEEEEE.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

BYRON M. SMITH, 0E TorEKA, KANSAS, AssreivorU To ELIZA S. SMITH, or SAMEPLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SMELTlNG-FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,493, dated April 1,1873; application liled January 23, 1873.

To all whom it may concer-u:

Be it known that I, B. M. SMITH, of Topeka, county of Shawnee and StateofKausas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSmelting-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention relates to the production of heat for smelting ore and generating Steam, and consists in the devices by which thejets are generated and controlled, as will be more fully set forthhereafter.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a vertical Sectional view offurnace. Fig. 2 is a vertical Sectional view of the burner or tubesthrough which the jets issue.

a, represents a smelt-ing-furnace, of suitable construction, to the topof which is secured a boiler or steam-generator, b, through the centerof which the heated gasesand products of combustion.pass soasfftogenerate steam. Situated at any'suitable distance" or heightrfrom thefurnace is a water-tank, c, which supplies both the boiler b andmoistair chamber cl with water through the pipes e, said pipes beingprovided with suitable cocks to regulate the supply, as may be desired.g is a second elevated reservoir, in which the oil of any suitable kindis placed for generating gas, and which is fed to the furnace throughthe pipe h, which is also provided with suitable regulating-cocks. EX-tending downward from the-boiler is a steaml pipe, t', from which abranch pipe, lo, extends outward so as to communicate with the oilpipeh, not only for the purpose of keeping the pipe free and clear, but soas to mingle the steam and oil together and convert the oil into gas.The steam passes up into the bottom of the furnace et through the pipe linto the chambers m n, where it is superheated, and thence through thetubes or jets o into the furnace. The upper chamber m eX- tends outlaterally so as to form an overhanging projection, which protects thejets from the pressure of the ore and serves as a deiiector for thegases. This chamber and the furnace are lined throughout with firebrickor clay, shown in Figs. l and'2, in the usual manner. The combined steamand oil or gas passes into the chamber p surrounding the steam-pipe Z upinto the chamber r', and thence into the furnace through the jet-tubesq. Through the pipe s, which passes through the top ofthe furnace orthrough the pipe through which the heated gases and products ofcombustion pass, there is driven a current of air, which, in passingthrough, becomes intensely heated before it reaches the moistair chamberd. In this chamber it absorbs a part of the water contained therein, andthen passes into the chamber t, and from thence into the furnace throughthe j et-tubes u. This air may be used either hot or cold, as desired.

When the combined jets of air, steam, and

gas are ignited, they produce a heat almost if not as intense as theoxyhydrogen blowpipe, and which can be produced at a mere nominal cost.

Having thus described my inventionfwhat 1 claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- 17. The elevated water-tank c, when ar ranged to feedthe boiler, and the moist-air chamber, substantially as described.

2. The superheater-chamber m, in combination with steam-pipe Z placed inthe lower part of the furnace, for the purpose of acting as a defiectorfor the gases and to protect the jet-tubes from the metal, substantiallyas set forth and shown. l

3. The concentric pipes or chambers l p t for conducting the air, steam,and gas, into the furnace, when provided with suitable jettubes,substantially as shown and described.

4. The furnace a, boiler b, tank c g, and moist-air chamber d, whenconnected by the various pipes, in the manner and for the purpose setforth.

5. The moist-air chamber d, for moistening the air before its entranceto the furnace, as specied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I hereuntoaffix my signature this 15th day of January, 1873. y

BYRON M. SMITH.

Witnesses T. B. MILLS. WM. HALL JENKINS.

